Lu Huaijin approached with the scent of blood clinging to him, his large hand gripping Su Yao’s chin. “Did you really think Chuyao could protect you?”
Su Yao’s pupils contracted sharply.
“Speak!”
“This matter started because of me. It has nothing to do with Brother Chuyao.”
“Brother Chuyao?” Lu Huaijin chuckled softly.
With one hand, he clasped the back of Su Yao’s neck, the scent of blood mingling with cedarwood invading her mouth.
A furious kiss, carrying the taste of blood.
She was pressed against the carved edge of the bedpost, the golden patterns of his python robe grinding against her exposed collarbone.
“Why hide? When you coaxed Chuyao into taking the blame for you, weren’t you quite skilled at seduction?”
His fingers tugged open his own collar, the candlelight illuminating the flickering anger in his eyes.
As his scorching lips brushed her earlobe, Su Yao caught the scent of blood.
Su Yao trembled as she spoke.
“If it weren’t for going to retrieve my lost earring for me, Brother Chuyao wouldn’t have encountered that wretched old eunuch…”
Lu Huaijin’s gaze deepened, holding a meaning Su Yao couldn’t decipher.
He let out a cold laugh.
“So, you think Chuyao killed him?”
She tightly grasped Lu Huaijin’s arm, pleading through tears. “You can save him, can’t you? You’ve watched him grow up since he was a child!”
Seeing his refusal, Su Yao shouted angrily, “Lu Huaijin, are you perhaps jealous of the bond between Brother Chuyao and me?”
“Your bond?”
This phrase completely enraged Lu Huaijin.
It also tore away the pretense in his eyes.
“What a fine pair of devoted lovers!”
A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and heavy rain began to fall outside the window…
Dawn broke.
The rain outside had stopped.
A few rays of morning light filtered into the room.
Su Yao’s delicate brows furrowed, her voice slightly hoarse.
“You… you haven’t left yet?”
Lu Huaijin walked to the table and personally poured a cup of tea.
“Drink.”
Su Yao instinctively turned her head away in refusal, but he forcibly straightened it and poured the tea down her throat.
The tea was cold, trickling down the corner of her mouth.
Su Yao’s temper was too stubborn, and he was still angry, so he acted harshly.
Lu Huaijin glanced at the cloth nearby and, without thinking, picked it up to wipe her face haphazardly.
“What are you using to wipe me?!”
Su Yao’s previously pale complexion flushed red again as she turned her head away, refusing to look at this bare-chested man.
Only then did Lu Huaijin realize he hadn’t grabbed a cloth but Su Yao’s pink underclothes.
He froze for a moment, his hand holding the underclothes suddenly unsure where to place them.
Lu Huaijin cleared his throat twice, draped his robe over himself, and prepared to leave, but paused at the threshold.
“Su Yao, I will resolve this matter for you both.”
“Remember, you and Chuyao… should not meet again. It’s for the best for both of you!”
“Lu Huaijin!”
Su Yao called out to stop him.
The corners of her eyes were red, her hair disheveled on both sides as she gazed at him with a distant look.
This time, he showed no softness. With a bang, the door closed.
Su Yao smiled self-deprecatingly.
It felt as if a basin of ice water had been poured over her head, chilling her to the bone.
Indeed, he was heartless.
Her eyes grew even redder as she tightly covered her mouth with both hands, trying to seal all her grievances deep within her heart.
“Su Yao, you mustn’t cry. You should be grateful. At least… this body of yours still has some use.”
Su Yao seemed drained of all strength, drifting in a daze until she fell asleep once more.
When she woke again, it was already past noon. From Chun Tao, Su Yao learned the news that Lu Chuyao would return to Jingzhou before the New Year.
He had promised to return for the New Year, but in the end, he still couldn’t fulfill his wish.
She knew exactly whose handiwork this was—who else could it be but Lu Huaijin?
However, she had to admit that only with Lu Chuyao gone could this matter be cleared of any connection to him.
As she and Chun Tao passed through the garden, she faintly overheard several palace maids whispering nearby. Though their voices were low, they pierced her ears like needles.
One of the older maids even shot her a fierce glare from a distance.
Su Yao felt a growing unease in her heart.
Before long, Nanny Chang hurried over in person, her expression slightly anxious. “Come with me quickly. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has questions for you.”
Seeing this situation, Su Yao’s heart sank with a thud. A sense of impending disaster washed over her.
Could it be that Eunuch Hai’s matter had been traced back to her?
Impossible.
Since Lu Huaijin had promised to handle it for them, given his abilities and methods, he would surely have done so.
Then… could it be that someone had seen Lu Huaijin staying overnight in the palace yesterday?
As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she dared not dwell on it further, feeling only a chill run down her spine.
Suppressing her inner fear, she quickened her pace and followed closely beside Nanny Chang.
Chun Tao, filled with worry, wanted to accompany Su Yao, but Nanny Chang coldly stopped her.
“What business does a little maid like you have here? Do you think this is just anywhere? This is the imperial palace. If Her Majesty the Empress Dowager hasn’t summoned you, you cannot go.”
Seeing this, Su Yao gently patted Chun Tao’s shoulder and reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
As soon as she stepped into Cining Palace, Su Yao saw a guard bound tightly and kneeling on the ground in a wretched state.
The Empress Dowager sat high upon her phoenix throne.
Her eyes were filled with anger and disdain.
Su Yao hurried forward to pay her respects. “Your humble maid pays homage to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless fortune and peace.”
The Empress Dowager’s face remained terrifyingly dark.
She gave a slight glance to Nanny Gui beside her, who understood immediately and stepped forward with a piece of underclothes.
Su Yao recognized it at once—it was the very undergarment Lu Huaijin had used to wipe her mouth that morning.
But how could this item have ended up here?
Nanny Gui pointed haughtily at the cloth and scolded viciously, “Her Majesty kept you in the palace to serve out of kindness, not for you to engage in debauchery within the palace walls. And look what you’ve done! You’ve brought nothing but disgrace to this palace. You shameless creature!”
Nanny Chang quickly stepped forward to speak on her behalf. “Your Majesty, please see clearly. This girl has always been cautious. Could there be a mistake…”
But before she could finish, the Empress Dowager shot her a cold, sharp glare.
Nanny Chang instantly fell silent, not daring to utter another word.
Only then did the Empress Dowager speak slowly. “Su Yao, they just found this underclothes on this guard. Do you recognize it?”
Before Su Yao could answer, the Empress Dowager continued, “It’s no use denying it. Your name is embroidered on the bellyband—there’s no way to refute it.”
A wave of humiliation washed over Su Yao. Though her status was now lowly, she had still been raised as a young lady of the Ministry of Personnel, taught manners and propriety since childhood. If not for Lu Huaijin’s coercion, how could she have fallen into such a situation?
Now, this baseless accusation of “debauchery within the palace walls” felt like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into her heart.
“Your Majesty, please see clearly. I have done no such thing. I do not know this person at all, and I absolutely refuse to admit to this.”
The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, a slight curve lifting the corner of her lips. “Then tell me, how did your personal possession end up on him?”